Interim Police Chief Robert Hayden recently sat down for interview with The Enterprise to discuss his plans for Brockton. These are some of the things he had to say.

BROCKTON – Although he has been on the job for less than a month, Interim Police Chief Robert Hayden has already begun making big changes at the Brockton Police Department.

After helping Mayor Bill Carpenter craft his 10-point public safety plan as a campaign consultant last fall, the mayor picked Hayden to implement that plan as the head of the Police Department.

Hayden, a former deputy superintendent in Boston, police chief in Lawrence and undersecretary of public safety with the state, recently sat down with The Enterprise to discuss his plans for Brockton.

How did you first become interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement?

My dad was a Boston policeman, and when I first saw him in his uniform, I just fell in love with the idea of being a policeman. I felt that it was a calling. My father was the smartest and bravest man in the world, and I’d like to follow in his footsteps.

After more than 40 years in law enforcement, what keeps you going?

It’s similar to being a priest. Some police officers get it, and they realize why they’re cops. It’s to help people. It sounds kind of corny, but that’s what it’s really all about.

It’s to step into a situation that’s out of control, save someone’s life, get a kid that’s going the wrong way and put him on the right path, clear the streets of bullies. I get something out of that.

You seem to have a very hands-on approach when it comes to law enforcement. Why is that?

If I’m up here and I’m getting paid to be here, then occasionally I want to step up and try to make a positive impact on the city.

I am a little bit old now to expect to catch anybody if they run, but I do love to stay sharp.

What has been your impression of Brockton so far?

I haven’t got an accurate read on the city yet because it’s been snowing since I got here, and most of the real bad people, you don’t really see them out in the snow. I’ll know more about the city as we get into the warmer weather.

My plan is to identify all of the places where people don’t feel comfortable, and get into those areas before it gets warm out and establish control in those areas.

What similarities or differences have you found between your service in Brockton and Boston?

Boston was big enough to absorb a bad part of the city without the rest of the residents of Boston knowing that it even existed.

There’s no part of Brockton that can remain hidden from crime. That’s a good thing and a bad thing. The reason that’s a good thing is because it motivates you to get out and really work hard.

What similarities or differences have you found between Brockton and Lawrence?

Lawrence was very similar to Brockton. They had similar problems with the department being understaffed. They were very, very busy, and did not have enough policemen.

Is staffing the biggest issue facing the department here?

It’s right up there. The number of policemen are important, but it’s not the be-all and end-all. It’s how motivated they are. There’s a lot of really good, really motivated policemen here.

What other changes are you planning on implementing in Brockton?

I just came back from Plymouth County House of Correction, and Sheriff McDonald is going to pick up all of our prisoners for us and take them out of the medieval cells that they go to now, and they’re going to go to his facility.

Motorcycles will be coming pretty soon. They are going to be a game-changer for the way we root out crime in the city. These guys are going to give the people who walk the streets of Brockton a feeling that they’re safer because they’re going to be going all around the city.

Why do you think the motorcycle patrols are more effective than the squad cars?

You know that the guy on it is a little nuts. He’s sort of a risk-taker to start with. You kind of get the idea that maybe I don’t want to mess with this guy.

How do you plan on addressing the drug problem in Brockton?

When I was in Lawrence, we used to do stings and we would arrest the addicts, and I sort of convinced myself I was doing something meaningful.

I want to find the people that are supplying the drugs.

I don’t look at the people that are buying drugs quite the same way as I did before. I see them as victims, pain-in-the-behind victims, but victims nonetheless.

What do you want your legacy to be in Brockton?

He came in, he tried and he made a difference. He did what he said he was going to do.